The present invention relates to a dietary supplement for use in supporting and maintaining normal prostrate gland function. Specifically, the dietary supplement includes an effective amount of saw palmetto extract, pumpkin seed oil extract and nettle root extract.
The use of plants or plant extracts in dietary supplements has long been used to prevent or control disorders of the human body. The prostrate gland is the source of several common disorders for men. These disorders include prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is a condition associated with aging which affects a large percentage of men over the age of fifty. The symptoms associated with BPH are many and varied. These symptoms include frequent, painful urination, an increased need to urinate, a need to urinate often, especially at night, difficulty in starting to urinate, and a weak or interrupted stream of urination, among others.
A number of plants and plant extracts are known for alleviating the symptoms of BPH. U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,146 to Perez describes treatment of BPH with tablet compositions containing both pumpkin seed and saw palmetto extract. A German reference, W. Vahlensieck, Jr., et al., Drug Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, FORTSCHR-MED., Nov. 10, 1996, at 407--11, also teaches the combination of pumpkin seed and saw palmetto. U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,665 to Kovacs describes the use of an oat extract and a nettle extract in a food supplement for the treatment or prevention of various disfunctions of the human body, including BPH.
While a number of plants and plant extracts are known for preventing or treating the symptoms of BPH, none of the known dietary supplements include a comprehensive combination of plant extracts which address many of the symptoms associated with BPH. Consequently, there is a need for a comprehensive combination of plant extracts and phytochemicals which address many of symptoms associated with BPH and therefore, can be beneficial in supporting or maintaining prostrate gland health.